New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-26

river" laid down; plan or the Dulldings, FENCES
improvements, ETC., all i'll regular form. There,
TOO. he kept his surveying instruments, and on
table in the centre Of the room were NUMBER or
maps some shells some minerals looking like peril
factions. which took 10 be fossil remains, ana SO
on At a desk in n corner were his books accounts,
letters. some Official looking papers, and adjoining;
press for taking copies of his correspondence. all
in perfect order as IN any real concern lie hau
four hands constantly employed. besides two or
three mechanics three Danes and Norwegian.
He was going to increase his force shortly nc
We visited the tunnel, both Of us feeling
rs though party to fraud. lie had male
great Roadway at first. but now the work was IN
the hardest kind of rock and progress was not more
than a foot week. This did not appear to DIS
courage the Professor at all on the contrary, he
struck the rock, making the sparks fy, and APP
peared to derive great satisfaction from its ada
mantine character-discoursing the while learnedlv
upon the nature of the formation, the shape and
characteristics of the "rm," and of the scOrlace-
Ousr rock outside. Harry and both felt anxious
10 dspel the fatal halluclnation but knew that 1T
would be too cruel to do So Besides, he was so
scientific and we had nothing but our sound COM
mon to offset his science. And how can one
prove his point when opposed by arguments too
learned for his comprehension!
III he would only drop his high SCIENCE said
Harry, we could perhaps get little common
sense into him.
But the laboratory chemicals, collection of
minerals etc, overcame Harry little, they did
me. so we proceeded to the business of our visit.
But the Professor would not even look at our
" No! No r he said. "No! No not from any of
you gentlemen; not on any account"
tried him on several different tacks, but all
without success, until at last said, feeling very
cheap as said 1T
well, Doctor you may perhaps feel glad of even
this little money before you break through the rim
and into the ancient channel. This is q great
undertaking, and costly enterprise for limited
means"
The Professors countenancc changed and his
eyes fastened upon the purse. | had touched the
right chord evidently, md l followed up my adj
vantage.
only n year or two, or it may take three or four
years. That rock is very hard AS you have so
kindly explained TO u.s. It has survived the dlsn-
and an yon woud feel il yerv much If
were compelled to stop for want of means just as
yop were in sight Of the reward s Of al your labor
Here caught Harry looking at me with undis-
guised admiration of my diplomacy or dupllclty;
which shall call 1t II was new character for
Inc to appear in, and to tell the truth, was lit
tie surprised at myself-still moro at my success
for the Professor fell into the trap like the lnno-
cent lamb kecw him to be.
You are right" said the Doctor suddenly,
"quIte right. and II is very kind and gracious Of
you TO put it in that way. ] am reminded that
can take the money now and send it back to your
friend, as you suggest, after have entered upon
the ancient channel. With that understanding
will receive it. thank you very much indeed"
We then visited " the ranch" as the professor
called II. | have mentioned there was spring at
this spot. The dOJtor explained that 1t seeped
through from the buried river" probably through
some creyiee oeeasoned by shrnkSage IN the run run
mouth of the tunnel il disappeared, but there was
patch of several acres of black soil there,
which constantly moist, even upon the
surface during the drest summer. This the Doctor
said he was going TO plant the following season III
watermelons. muskmeons tomatoes, etc, and on
the higher land surrounding It, fruit trees, such as
peaches apricots. nectarines and figs, and on the
stony land, grapes
These were almost tue first agricultural plants
which we had heard Of IN the mines at least on so
pYf "A seemed
novel and visionary as the ancient channel itself
The old fellow must be gong TO settle down for
life SAID Harry laughing. and under the shadow
of his own vine and fig tree"
After this we didn't see much of the Professor for
many months; but we heard of him from time TO
time on the rIvcr-at Jim Town aud the vicinity.
His cure of Spencer became known, and his ser
vices rs physician were soon IN considerable
request. He had either wonderfully good luck
or uncommon skill. for he cured every patient
and inspired universal condolences, which made
his one crazy point the more conspicuous and pam
full, Of course. He never appcaredito trouble HIM
self about fee. II the patient was poor he not
only gave his services but furnished medicines,
refusing all remuneration; If rich, :" Pay me what
you think yOu can Afford he would say. So soon
as 1t became generally known that he waited on
rich aud poor alike that he would make any jour
ncy in any wcathcr-durlng the transforms wrapped
In an old, half military cloak. but the rusty slIt
and the stOve-plpc never failing TO appear ut the
critical momcnt-and that he was " so crazy kind"
az poor fellow put II then some of those who
could afford TO pay paid the more Literally; and |
doubt. after all, III anything MS gofcfOS-
ity, for everybody wanted to do the old gentleman
a good turn. and when that Is the case almost
everybody succeeds IN doing It, sooner or later.
II was soon discovered that he was mighty
tight at a bargain. He paid cash for every
proyl siOns. hardware, ana so
on: for. OF course, nobody would have liked
to trust him as they did us, who were a r!ch
company with a sure thing Every one knew that
the old fellow must break mp on his tunnel sooner
or later; and the most incOnsd"rate felt n sort Of
pity TO see good money going into tine barron noun
80 learned
such deusion. The storekcepers sympathy took
the form Of letting hun have things at quite dis
COunt-fOr cash, of cOurSc-aud the boys generally
knew perfectly well what II meant when the Pro-
lessor paid only twcntv-iy dollars for barrel of
flour when we paid thirty and 80 on. In TACT he be-
came quite privileged character, until everybody
around he country, far and wide, was glad to see
the old stoye-pipe" put III an appearance
STILL he did not altogether escape rdlcue. There
was wild tot OF boys about III those days, ana
what they deemed little bit OF harmless run with
the old Professor was very dear 10 them But they
soon found that he was very sensitive especially
upon scientific subjects and his pet dclnsOn; so
he no sooner began TO brIstlc up and stand on his
dignity than they would knock oil their devInent
and make 1t up with the Professor who was as cas-
ly Teconciled rs a lOyable, high-splrited child.
one day. lot of our boys riding for a pdseo up to
his ranch met the old gentleman on the road busy
with n pocket microscope prone upon the ground
pryng into insi On fcant spots stains almost
nyis BILE to the eyesight of the ordinary observer.
He certainly did look ridiculous, with the rusty
black suit dust covered aud soiled the coarse un-
and the memorable st0ve-pipe tilted or to the back
of his head TO afford greater facility for the use OF
the INSTRUMENT.
The bows ser up n shout ms soon as they saw him.
" hich was unmlstanably n shout OF derision, and
then surrounded him and began to tease and chalf.
what have We got there. old man I" said one;
prospecting for diamondsV
mo, no-hes ospectlng for the ancient cham
nell said another. Have you broke through the
rim vet. Proiessorp
can't understand why you mincrs,-yoq men
of musce-makc 40 little Of science said the
Doctor, strengthening himself up, cooriug, and
standing on his dignity, with the stoye-pipe still
tilted back. and shaking the pocket microscope at
his tormcntors, rs he warmed to his subject. IT
yon meet "a poor poddIng savalt on the road,
breaking his bits of rocks, scrapIng together his
little harvest of weeds. OF busy with bis lens
among the larve of insects, If you do not laugh at
and deride HIM. you at least treat HIM rs one de-
mented as a silly adde-p pate, or an lmbecilc. Yet
NAV that forlord enthusiast with his microscope,
perhaps stop the ravages of some insect pest which
has caused more disaster to humanity than Hood.
fire, famine. pcsti encc, or even war itself Yes